My Heart Decided For Me
by Summer Evenings
Summary: Hermione is preparing for the war to come. Yet, there are things that we never learned about her, that only her friends knew. But how long before someone else takes notice? And how long before changes everything? During Book 6. AU
1. The Story Begins

Note: New story! Woot! My brain clicked into Harry Potter mode and this is what came about. This has not been beta-ed, so please forgive the mistakes. This whole story is pretty much the product of late night thoughts and drabble that I've combined into something that I actually like the plot of. But enough rambling from me. Enjoy and please try to review! (This first chapter isn't very exciting, but it will get better! I promise!)

My Heart Decided For Me:

A Witch's Tale of Hogwarts and Beyond

Hermione Granger was the smartest witch of her time. But it wasn't always like this.

Hermione being Muggle-born made her quite different from her friends. She'd grown up doing average things that all little girls do, though her joy for reading quickly led her to the top of every class she was ever in. Her parents were strict though kind and Hermione never allowed herself to break her parents trust. But times soon turned difficult.

Mr. Granger's sister had married a man while traveling. She'd always been extravagant and this man, Henry, was the same. Every holiday Uncle Henry was at their house, he showed Hermione magic tricks. When she was a toddler, there was no harm pulling bunnies out of a hat. But as she grew older, Henry slowly started showing her magic that one needed a wand to complete. At the age of six, Hermione was already well versed in the magical world though she didn't know it. That was also the time that Mr. and Mrs. Granger's divorce was finalized.

This was when she first showed any sign of magical talent. She had become so upset and stressed that a protective shield had formed around her made of bright light, that subsided once she'd fallen asleep. Her parents were terrified. Hermione didn't remember the incident once she awoke, but her uncle was soon there to explain to her parents what had happened. Her mother thought Henry was a mad man and moved with Hermione to a different part of London.

But Henry wouldn't be dissuaded. He would appear at random intervals to ask to take Hermione away so he could foster the power in her. Her mother declined every time, as did her father. This was the first time Hermione ever heard the words Death Eater, and she immediately knew she would never again get along with her uncle even if she was only eight by this time.

After much deliberation of her parents, it was decided that Hermione and her mother would move to the States to live with her grandmother. It was Grandmother Kate who suggested Hermione start martial arts to relieve her stress after the first day at school turned Hermione's eyes green with hurt, literally.

Years passed and Hermione grew stronger and wiser everyday. It was a letter on her tenth birthday from her father indicated that Aunt Annie had died and Uncle Henry had disappeared, saying that he would really love to have Hermione back in London. Her mother agreed and soon Hermione was back where she'd grown up. Of course, soon came her Hogwarts letter and the thought that maybe Uncle Henry wasn't that crazy after all.

Hermione Granger turned into Gryffindor's pride. She embodied everything that the Sorting Hat had sung about the golden house.

_You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart. Their daring, nerve, and chivalry set Gryffindors apart._

And set apart it did, for after her first year there Hermione vowed to fight Lord Voldemort alongside her best friends, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

But it was that first year that got her into trouble too. The first weeks had been difficult, but she persevered thanks to her calming exercises and breathing techniques she'd learned from her martial arts. The teasing by her housemates wasn't all that bad, mostly about her love for books. It was only after encountering what would be the worse part of her school career that Hermione ended up crying in the bathroom, coming face to face with a troll.

That worse part was Draco Malfoy. He barely noticed her except to tell her to move or call her a mudblood. She had thought he was amazing with his blond hair and steel eyes the first day of classes, but not enough to get along with him especially after what he called her. Yet she couldn't hate him. Hermione really couldn't hate anyone; it just wasn't in her nature.

Her powers grew as she did and soon Hermione Granger was Gryffindor Perfect and preparing with her friends for the war that had yet to come. She didn't know her whole life was about be changed by one thing she couldn't control. Her heart had plans that even Hermione didn't know of.


	2. Day 1

Note: Chapter 2! Let's just jump right into the story shall we? Alright? Good.

Just like every other weekday, Hermione's alarm went off at five. Her friends called her crazy for getting up that early, but she found that a nice hot shower before class could do a world of good later in the day. Stepping out of bed only to find an ice-cold floor, Hermione quickly ran across to the rug in the bathroom, grabbing stuff for a shower along the way.

She was moderately excited for today. It was a Hogsmeade trip and she could spend the entire time with Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Deciding that breakfast would be nice and Harry and Ron were bound to be up by now, she grabbed money from her nightstand and started walking down to the Great Hall. She figured she'd meet them down there, but she didn't realize that her little bubble of quiet was about to be broken.

Sitting on one of the many staircases she had to go down was Draco Malfoy. As Hermione got to the last stair he looked directly at her and smirked. She smiled tensely and kept walking.

Draco loved teasing her since she would become irate and for some reason he enjoyed watching her lose her cool. She'd found out recently though that it made him angrier if she didn't try to argue back and instead ignored him. Hermione only hoped she could get to the end of the hallway before he said anything that could ruin her day.

"Why are you up so early, Mudblood? Going to meet your friends Pot-head and Weasel?" Draco sneered. She could have asked him the same question; she normally didn't see him until they were wandering around Hogsmeade. But she decided that the best way to handle someone being rude was to be nice to him or her. The bonus was that it seemed to anger Malfoy when she did this.

"Actually I was just going down to breakfast," she quietly said facing him before turning around and once again heading for the corridor as he laughed. "I'll walk with you then."

Hermione internally ground her teeth, wondering who she'd angered in another life to make this one so hard. Draco and Hermione walked in silence all the way to the Great Hall, where Harry and Ron were standing by the doors.

"Hey Hermione! Over here!" Ron called. She quickly glanced at Draco, who opened his mouth, but before he could say anything she ran over to her friends.

"Ready for Hogsmeade today?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but where's Ginny?" Hermione questioned as they headed outside to sit on the stairs.

"She's still getting ready. She said something about her bathroom being too small for six girls or something along the lines of that," Ron answered. The three talked until Ginny showed up then went to wait for a carriage to Hogsmeade.

"Why was Malfoy walking with you this morning?" Harry asked once they are all seated.

"I honestly couldn't tell you, he was in the hallway when I came down and just followed me," Hermione explained. They all looked at each other and were quietly thinking on why he would suddenly just walk around with Hermione when Draco opened the carriage door.

"You're walking around with me today, not these losers. Understand? We have some things we need to settle."

"She can hang out with whomever she wants to Malfoy," said Harry sitting straighter and glaring. Draco didn't even look at Harry, just right at Hermione. His gaze was intense and she really didn't like the way it went through her, into her.

"I think I'll just stick with them thanks," Hermione quietly declined. Draco just stormed off after throwing a glare at Harry. A couple minutes passed in silence.

"We're here," Ron announced quietly to break the cloud hanging over the group.

The rest of the day, the group wandered around Hogsmeade aimlessly, just enjoying each other's company. Around lunchtime though, Hermione began to feel sick. She'd always relied on her senses to tell her when something was going on since she often was looking at a page instead of the things going on around her.

Her gut was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She was too distracted that day to realize Draco followed her everywhere and watched her every move, but Ginny wasn't. She pulled Hermione into the pet shop to get some privacy from the boys and to throw Malfoy off their path.

Like she thought, Malfoy instead followed the boys, not realizing that Hermione and her weren't leading the way.

"So…." Ginny started while they started looking at the kittens. Hermione glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"I have this horrible feeling that something very bad has happened. On top of that I'm confused over Malfoy's behavior. I don't understand why we would have anything we need to settle. He's _Malfoy_ for Merlin's sake! We don't settle on things, we rave and argue and fight. Why exactly he's acting this way is beyond me," Hermione ranted wandering around the store, knowing that Ginny wanted the full story about why she was distracted. All Hermione wanted right then was a long bath to calm her nerves.

"Well, ignore Malfoy like you always do. You are much better at _life_ then he is. Why you have this foreboding I don't know, but we're here for you if something has happened. I can tell you that Harry and Ron couldn't ask for a better partner in crime though." Ginny winked at her as they walked out of the store. She playfully hit her shoulder into Hermione's, making her smile.

"Thanks, I needed that. Let's go find Harry and Ron, they're probably drooling over Quidditch stuff by now." Ginny grinned as Hermione rolled her eyes.

Hermione mentally shook herself as they walked towards the Quidditch store. With each step, thoughts of Malfoy rushed out of Hermione's head and the feeling in her gut subsided a little.

After getting back from Hogsmeade and saying goodnight to her friends, Hermione quickly walked to her room. Her bath was awaiting her. Once done, she crawled into bed, only to have that sinking, heavy feeling return with new strength. She slept uneasily the rest of the night.


	3. Something's Wrong with Granger

Waking up with the sun again, Hermione threw on her school robes. It was Monday, and while she enjoyed school, it was still her worst day of the week. Deciding that now was as good a time as any to grab a bite then head to the library to double check a essay, Hermione picked up her school bag and headed for the door.

Though she'd never admit it, Hermione was dreading going to classes this year. It wasn't that they were difficult or boring, it was because Gryffindor had an abundance of double periods with Slytherin. She assumed Dumbledore did this to create school unity, but all it did was push the two houses into clashing more than they already did.

After putting some finishing touches on her essay and taking the last few bites of her apple, Hermione was ready for class. Other students had started to filter into the library, some waving at her before going to sleepily get the book they needed. Deciding that it would be in her best interest to find Harry and Ron, Hermione quickly stashed her things and heads towards the Great Hall.

At the top of the grand staircase, Pansy Parkinson calls out to her. Hermione stopped, unsure on whether to reach for her wand or not.

"Granger."

"Can I do something for you Pansy?"

"I wouldn't be so nice it I were you. Some people deserve what they get," she said as she walked away.

Hermione stood for a minute, confused on what had just come to pass. Some people deserve what they get? She had no idea what that meant, but it sounded like a threat. Or a warning. Shaking her head, Hermione descended the stairs to start her hunt for her friends.

They had been a guiding light through some of her most stressful times. Harry, Ron, and Ginny all knew that her powers could be very fragile and were tied to her emotions. But they acted as natural stress relievers most the time, so Hermione hadn't been too worried about her training or martial arts of late. But what Pansy said, along with what she'd felt yesterday, made Hermione on edge.

The day went smoothly for the most part. But as electives came up, Hermione was forced to part with Harry and Ron and go to her Runes class. She knew that if something was going to happen, it was going to be in that class since Slytherin dominated it. Hermione was one of the six students not in green and silver.

As the homework was given and fellow classmates started to pack up their belongings, an owl tapped on the window. It was Hermione's, the one she had specially bought so her parents could send her letters. Apologizing to the professor, Hermione grabbed the letter and sent the owl on its way.

_Dear Hermione,_

_If you are reading this then we are far away from harm and will not be coming back until things are cleared up. Henry came back yesterday and asked your father and I to meet for lunch. We were cautious, but we thought maybe he was going to give us news that he'd moved on. He has come back to finish what he started though; this is the only thing that we can get to you. We haven't told him where you are, so you are safe for the time being. But he wasn't happy about our silence. Don't come back to the house, it isn't there anymore anyway. _

_Give this letter to Dumbledore; he will know what to do for it was the Order that got us away. They said you'd understand who the Order is. Remember we love you. Stay safe sweetie, but always remember what we've taught you. _

_Love you as always. _

Mum and Dad

Hermione reread the letter multiple times before it sunk in. Her home, her memories were gone. Her parents had been in danger and she didn't know if they were hurt. And it was because of her. Tears filled her eyes and the girl who used her brain to solve any problem couldn't think. At least they were safe now.

Hermione put her things away but left her bag in the now empty classroom. Still in shock, all she could do was follow what her mum had told her to do. She needed to find Dumbledore. Hermione exited the room, but found that every Slytherin from her class was waiting in the hallway wanting to see what the 'Gryffindor Princess' had gotten that couldn't wait until the morning post.

Hermione looked down and continue walking. She didn't need any Slytherin seeing her at her weakest. She had almost gotten through the crowd when she saw a pair of feet blocking her path. She looked up to see Malfoy and his ever-present bodyguards.

"Move Malfoy," she said, trying her best to keep calm.

"And if I don't?"


	4. Pushing Through

"And if I don't?" Draco asked. He didn't know what had just happened to Hermione and she doubted he would have cared if he did. He didn't know that she was a stronger witch then he was a wizard. Apparently, neither did Pansy, who decided to join in on the teasing.

No one noticed that Hermione was crying.

She gently tucked the letter inside the pocket of her robes and blinked rapidly. They had blocked her entire path, Pansy standing to her left, a wall to her right, Draco in front of her, and the Slytherin class behind, watching.

"So, does wittle Hermione have something to tell us?" asked Pansy, using her best baby voice. While this normally wouldn't have fazed her, Pansy's voice grated on Hermione's already frayed nerves and she found herself becoming angry.

She raised her head and looked directly at Draco. He took a step back, looking like he was surprised by the anger that was showing in her eyes and on her face. Hermione almost mechanically turned her gaze, then her head to Pansy. No one was laughing anymore, but Pansy looked scared.

"Don't EVER think that I would share something with you," Hermione said through gritted teeth. Turning her gaze back to Draco, she took a step forward. Malfoy took a step back. Hermione sighed, took a couple long strides and pushed past him. Up ahead, Harry, Ron, and Ginny walked into her line of vision making her stop.

"Hey Hermione, practice was canceled so we can go to..." Harry was interrupted by Ginny touching his arm.

"What's wrong Hermione?" she asked concerned. Behind them, at the end of the hallway Dumbledore was standing there. Hermione was angry and sad and ready to do _anything_ to get away from _everyone_. She walked past her friends with her head down.

"Hermione…" Ron called out trying to catch her arm, but she ignored him and walked right up to Dumbledore, handing him the letter.

"I'll come up to your office tomorrow," Hermione whispered as she headed down the corridor behind Dumbledore that led to the lake. She couldn't handle everyone knowing that something was wrong right then. She could once again feel anger rising in her. Hermione didn't want anything to happen to anyone as power surged through her so she ran, throwing off her robes in the process.

Harry, Ron and Ginny took off after her, stopping only to pick up her robes. They neared the lake, still about a meter behind Hermione who was fleeing to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest knowing no one would be there. On top of everything that'd happened today, she didn't need someone hurt because of her.

Wheezing, Hermione sat down at the base of one the trees and put her head in her hands. Had it happened again? Did she look different again like she did when she was younger?

At that moment, Hermione was grateful that at least her mum and dad told her about her power surges when her Hogwarts letter arrived. Hermione knew she might have blown back there if she hadn't.

At the sound of footsteps, Hermione raised her head. Her friends had followed of course; she knew they would. Sighing, she tried to calm herself down before looking up at Harry. He dropped his shoulders and went down on one knee to look her in the eye. Ginny sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. Ron sat on her other side and put his shoulder next to hers to let her know he was there for her.

"You know, it's the stupidest thing to get mad at Malfoy after all these years of dealing with his crap. Yet it's like he's made it his mission recently to rile me up into a state of frenzy!" Ginny nodded in understanding, then looked at Harry as if for confirmation.

"Hermione, what made you so angry?" Hermione sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. The boys were so protective of her that she was afraid of their reactions.

"I got a letter from my parents at the end of Runes via owl, which is odd in itself. But what it said upset me. It said Dumbledore would know what to do so I went to find him, but the Slytherins in my class must have been curious because they were all waiting for me in the hallway. Wouldn't you know it, but Malfoy wouldn't let me pass. Then Pansy started in on it and I lost it. I dislike being angry." Hermione pouted. Ron and Ginny grinned, but Harry remained serious.

"What did the letter say Hermione?" That was all it took for Hermione to break, a heartfelt question from a worried friend. Explaining the situation through slight tears, Hermione ended that she'd lacked in her martial arts exercises recently.

Everyone was quiet after Hermione had finished until Ron's stomach grumbled. Soon, Hermione was giggling along with Ginny as Harry helped them up. They all agreed it was time for dinner since lunch had been a couple hours before.

Before going through the doors to the Great Hall though, Ginny pulled Hermione aside. She'd been told that if Hermione's powers got the better of her they would cause physical changes, but Ginny wondered if Hermione knew how much it had changed her this time. She must have been really upset.

"I think you need to see yourself before you go in there."

"Why? Is it really that drastic?"

Ginny pulled out a pocket mirror from her bag, making Hermione realize hers was still in the Runes classroom. Looking into the mirror, Hermione gasped. Had she really been that upset?


	5. Another Incident

The face in Ginny's compact mirror startled the poor girl. Hermione closed her eyes tight, then peeked through them again. That couldn't be possible. She wasn't THAT strong, and yet her hair had turned a dark brown, almost black, and her eyes a shade of green that could rival Harry's.

"I… I don't think I'm so hungry anymore." Ginny nodded and promised to tell the boys where she'd gone. Hermione gave her thanks and headed for the classroom she'd left her bag in.

Hermione quickly worked her way towards the classroom, but much to her dismay it did not hold her school bag. Wondering if someone had moved it, she started to search the room.

After looking under every desk, Hermione had had about enough. She'd had a hard day and this would just put the icing on the cake. A sound behind her made her jump and reach for her wand as she whipped around.

"Looking for this?" Draco asked, holding up Hermione's bag. He wasn't alone either. It would seem that his entourage had gained a Pansy once again, even though they weren't dating anymore.

"Yes. Can I have it back please?" Draco tossed it and Hermione caught it with ease. She smiled at him tiredly and turned to make sure everything was still in its proper place. Pansy, seeing the smile and leaping to conclusions that only she could, pushed forward toward Hermione.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione looked at her, confused.

"Um, making sure I have everything."

"Right. You want us to believe that you're willing to stay in a room with four Slytherins that hate you just so you can check your bag? What are you up to?"

"Leave her alone Parkinson," a cold voice demanded. Hermione looked at Draco from the corner of her eye to see him scowling at the girl in front of her.

"WHAT! Leave her alone? She's a prat and she's hiding something! What are you hiding you Mudblood?" Pansy pulled out her wand and stuck it in Hermione's face. Hermione, knowing that the situation wasn't going to end well, grabbed Pansy's arm and pointed the wand away from her.

"I am not hiding anything and I suggest you stop that."

"Is that a threat Granger?" Pansy pulled her arm away and once again flashed her wand in front of Hermione's face.

Crucio didn't have time to leave her mouth before Hermione had driven the heel of her hand into Pansy's chest, sending her stumbling backwards into Draco. Taking the opportunity, Hermione dashed out of the room and ran down the hall knowing someone was following her. Skidding around the corner, she knocked into Harry who had come looking for her, along with Ron.

As Ron helped the duo up, Hermione caught sight of the person who had followed: Draco. She turned to tell him to go away when Pansy came charging down the hall, angry that Hermione had once again gotten away from her and determined to find out what could possible be so important that she had to run away from questions.

Hermione drew her wand hastily and put up a shield, only to be thrown back as a bright light erupted from the tip of her wand.

Pansy fell over as if she's run into a wall.

Harry and Ron were covering their eyes.

Draco was nowhere to be seen.

With a flick of her wrist the shield was gone and Hermione blacked out, promptly falling into the arms of the person closest to her.

------------

Hermione awoke to voices arguing above her. Someone was complaining that someone else should get away from her, but everything seemed muffled. At least she'd landed on something soft. Hermione groaned and the voices stopped for a second as she opened her eyes.

"Harry? What happened? Did Pansy's spell hit me? Are you guys okay?" Harry grinned down at her for her lack of noticing that she was the one that was more than likely hurt.

"No. Everyone's fine but you passed out. That was a really strong shield 'Mione."

As Hermione tried to sit up, her focus turned to what she had been laying on. Turning slightly, she came face to face with the steel blue eyes of Draco Malfoy. She'd been in his lap; he must have been the one who caught her.

"Oh! Ah. Thanks for catching me. Harry? Can you help me up?" Harry grabbed Hermione's hand to drag her away as Draco picked himself up. Hermione turned a slight shade of pink when she realizes exactly where her head had been resting, but other than that she keeps her eyes scouting around in case Pansy decided on another attack.

"I don't think Miss Parkinson will be bothering you again Miss Granger." The calm voice made all four students turn to look at the Headmaster. "Crabbe and Goyle took her down to the hospital wing. She seems to have broken her nose."

Hermione cringed. This is what she'd been afraid of, someone getting hurt because she couldn't control herself. Looking to Dumbledore to apologize, Hermione saw a slight smile on the old man's mouth and a twinkle in his eye.

"Headmaster…"

"Do not worry Miss Granger. We all must protect ourselves from time to time. Now, if all of you would please accompany me to my office, I would like to talk to you about the incident from this afternoon." The four students nodded and followed silently, each thinking the worse.


	6. Reasons

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all sat in Dumbledore's office, explaining what had happened. Hermione kept looking down at her hands, feeling guilty for everything that had been done that day.

Harry and Ron were adamant that she only did it in self-defense, but Hermione knew that was no excuse for sending someone to the hospital wing with a broken nose. After a moment of silence, Ron seemed to have gained enough nerve to ask Professor Dumbledore a question that he'd been chewing over.

"Why did you want to talk to Malfoy Professor? He really isn't part of any of this."

"He isn't? Was he not the one who blocked Miss Granger's path after class? Or the one who first stopped teasing her?"

The trio knew that Dumbledore was right. He always seemed to be, but Malfoy was just being Malfoy. There was nothing special about him today that made Hermione angry. He was just doing what he always did. Yet, Hermione thought about the last part of Dumbledore's words. Draco had been the one to back off when he saw she was truly upset. And he had been acting strange around her lately. Could he have possibly known what was going to happen? Was he trying to, she dare not even think it, prepare her?

"I suppose he's the action that induced my reaction," Hermione stated out loud. Dumbledore nodded then excused Harry and Ron. After the protests died down about how Malfoy shouldn't be in the same office as Hermione and how she hadn't eaten dinner so she should be allowed to leave too, they hugged Hermione and went out the door.

As they walked out, Draco strutted in. Almost gracefully, he came and sat down in the chair Harry had left only moments before to Hermione's right. He didn't seem surprised that he was there, but he looked curious nonetheless.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you know what happened in that hallway this afternoon?" A shake of his head was his entire answer. After a nod from Hermione, Dumbledore explained about the letter and how anger can build up mass amounts of energy that cause sudden bursts of magic. Hermione kept her eyes trained to a spot on the Headmaster's desk, every so often feeling an intense gaze on her from those stormy eyes.

"What I wish to know is why were you teasing Hermione in the first place, and what made you stop so suddenly. It is well known throughout the school your dislike for Miss Granger and her friends," Dumbledore concluded, letting Draco know the reason he was there. Hermione's questioning gaze turned to Draco, and he turned his head away. After a mumbled response, Draco was asked to repeat himself.

Hermione was prepared for insults and comments that could be taken one of two ways. What she wasn't prepared for was what he said.

"I think we all know the why, I'm not even go into that. But Granger's eyes had changed color obviously. They were also cold. I've seen her angry and upset, and every time her eyes spark with refusal to accept whatever I'm throwing at her. She fights back with silence, but every word she wants to yell can be seen in her expression. And don't think you're special Granger. I notice everyone's expressions. But it just didn't seem right that her eyes held ice instead of fire. It was too much like… I was taken aback."


	7. Grain of Truth

Hermione blinked slowly and replayed what had just been said through her head. Did that just happen? Had he been telling the truth? He seemed like he was, but Malfoy was a master of the stoic expression. The one thing she did believe was true was that Draco read emotions off others faces. That could be the only explanation for why he knew her eyes had changed from brown to green. Hermione knew all she thought could be read through her eyes, though Malfoy and Ginny seemed to be the only two to pick up on that.

Glancing at Dumbledore, Hermione saw that he must have known this was coming and that just backed up her theory that Malfoy was telling the truth. She looked intently at Draco before he interrupted the silence that was hanging dark in the room.

"Are we done Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I believe that you two have had a long day and are tiring of my questioning. Draco, if you and Miss Granger wish, both of you may go to the kitchens to get dinner."

Hermione and Draco nodded before getting up to leave. On the way to the kitchens though, Hermione had had enough of the quiet. Her brain kept coming up with more questions the longer she thought about the boy walking next to her and she was determined to get some answers.

"Mal… Draco, why did you say that stuff back there? Did you mean any of it? All of it?"

"Are you really that dense Granger? I just gave the old man the answer that he wanted, I didn't mean any of it," he said. Yet his tone was flat, which made it seem like he was trying to convince himself more then he was Hermione.

As he continued walking, Hermione stopped and put her hands on her hips. She knew both of them were stubborn, but she wasn't about to let this go. Somehow she knew he was telling the truth and had meant the things he said. Now if only she could get him to admit it.

"Draco Malfoy, both of us know that you meant something when you said those things, and I for one want to know what," Hermione demanded, staying rooted to her spot. Draco sighed and turned around. He walked towards her and grabbed her arm, pulling her into an empty classroom.

"Fine, you want to know what I meant? I can't stop thinking about you and Merlin help me because of it. But I'm a Malfoy and you are basically on your own with no family, plus your friends with Potter and the Weasels. I'm not even supposed to look at you, more or less agree with the entire school population that you are one of the most fascinating girls here.

"More to the point though, what I said back there was true. You scared me Granger because I've gotten that look from one person many times. And I hope never to have to relive that here at school thank you very much," Draco raved while pacing in front of Hermione.

With out realizing it, Hermione started grinning at the frustrated Malfoy. He almost seemed human to her with these problems. Draco turned towards her and saw her only to become even more annoyed.

"You think this is FUNNY?" he snarled, stalking towards her like an animal hunting.

"Not quite. I've somehow made you into a raving hormonal boy without trying and that is causing me some increased confusion. The amusing part though, is that any other girl would gladly just succumb to your every whim, yet you choose the one you hate. Truth be told, I don't particularly care for you either. But I can respect what you're saying, though I am curious about this person you say I reminded you of. Let's just say that you have always fascinated me also."

Draco stopped advancing just inches in front of Hermione, cutting her words short. He looked at her and she was sure he was about to kiss her. Instead, he just pressed his body into hers, and pushed her up onto the desk behind them. He pulled away suddenly, leaving Hermione with very little air.

"We should really get to dinner."

"Yes. Dinner, dinner would be good."


	8. Not a Lackey

Dinner was eaten in silence. Draco did walk Hermione back to the Gryffindor tower, but left before anyone could see him. Hermione went straight to bed and avoided the common room all week. After the end of classes on Friday, Ginny found Hermione in her room spread eagle on the bed.

"What's up Hun?" Ginny asked as she sat at the end of the bed by Hermione's feet.

"I'm all confused over Draco…" Hermione sighed, rolling over so she could sit up. Ginny moved around the bed so the two girls were side by side against the headboard.

"What did he do?" asked Ginny concerned. Malfoy had a tendency to be harsh. She had seen plenty of girls after they had been Draco's playthings and they all said the same thing. He was intense. Hermione explained about Draco's rant after the meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore. Ginny had no idea what to think.

"That doesn't sound like the Malfoy we know."

"That's exactly what I thought! But then he was about an inch away from me and I couldn't breathe. He doesn't like me in the normal sense of the word. I fascinate him, which can't be a good thing. And now I really want to know who or what I reminded him of! This is horrible."

"Are you sure you don't like him?" Hermione looked at Ginny before glancing down at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap.

"I was sure. The only problem I see with me liking him is that we both know he is charismatic. He uses it to get his way with the professors, so what's to say he wouldn't use it on me to get the one thing everyone told him he couldn't? And another problem, what if his motives aren't what I think they are? What if they're something else entirely?"

"You mean, what if this sudden realization that hate is affection isn't one sided?"

"Exactly!"

Ginny shrugged. Neither one of them could explain the Slytherin Prince's behavior. Hermione didn't know if she wanted to have it explained either because if he were interested in her nothing would stop him from doing everything in his power to figure her out. That scared her just a little, not only because of her past, but also because of how haywire her powers had been of late. She didn't want to hurt anyone, and that included him.

"Gin, I should get to the library. It's quiet there and I can just be focused on other things for a while. I have a potions essay due on the Monday after break and it has to be insanely long. Even for Snape this is too long." Ginny nodded.

"Just don't forget that Ron and I leave on Monday for break. Christmas at the Burrow should be fun; I can't wait to see the twins! They said they had something special for me this year."

Ginny and Hermione went their separate ways on the stairs and Hermione decided that maybe she should ask Ron and Harry if they wanted to join her. They had said they would be in the houses common room, a common room that all the houses shared that had been set up by Dumbledore for inter-house unity.

As Hermione came to the doorway of the expansive room, she noticed that the only other person there was the last one she wanted to see this close to the end of a pretty normal day. Draco was sitting in front of the fire, just staring into it. Hermione didn't believe he would notice her since she was across the room, but she was wrong.

"Where are you off to, dinner's almost over," Draco asked, never moving his gaze. "Where I'm going is none of your business Malfoy."

With that Hermione turned and went through the door she'd just come in. Draco quickly followed, and soon had her caught between him and the wall, his arm blocking her path.

"If it's your business then it IS my business," he whispered into Hermione's ear, sending a shiver down her spine. He let her go and disappeared back into the living room.

Hermione kicked herself for feeling the way she did around him. It wasn't right and she knew it. Something was making Malfoy this way and it was Hermione's challenge to figure out what. She stormed back into the living room, casting a couple spells on the way to make sure they weren't interrupted.

"What the hell is wrong with you Malfoy? I'm not one of your Slytherin lackeys, you can't just push me around!" Hermione wasn't as angry as she could have been, but she was slightly frustrated. This had to stop for her own sanity, and if she were to guess, his too.

"Get a hold of yourself Granger. And don't yell, it's quite unattractive."

"Why you sniveling, stuck-up, little… FERRET!" Hermione shrieked. Draco was up and in front of her before she could blink.

"I told you not to yell." Draco growled. Hermione felt her throat close up at how close he was, but she still took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

"And I told you that you can't push me around."

Draco arched his eyebrows before smirking. Hermione stood defiant and ready to beat him to a bloody pulp, figuratively of course. She knew her words would always do more damage than her body ever would. That is what her parents had taught her.

"For someone who is top of our class, not to mention the school, you sure are thick Granger. I control this school and you try anything, you will be sorry." Hermione looked Draco in the eye before unleashing the only words that she knew for sure would cut him to the core.

"Everyone was right about you. You're just like your father and will serve the Dark Lord well. I pity you Malfoy. You'll never know anything I have." And with that, Hermione turned and walked away from a stunned Draco Malfoy who suddenly felt sick.

Hermione got about halfway to the library before she was slammed into an empty classroom. As she righted herself, she knew it could be only one person.

"You really need to learn how to ask someone to talk. Really Malfoy, this is getting ridiculous."

"Shut up Granger." That was when Hermione turned around and got her first look at the boy she was antagonizing. Draco looked pissed as Hell and seethed with rage. His already pale face seemed more white than normal, which made his features take on a striking appearance. He stood in front of the door, hands balled into fists and teeth bared like some wild animal.

"You have no right to say anything about my family, understand Mudblood? You don't know me or my father, the things we do and don't do, or the reasoning behind any of it. So keep your trap shut and don't you dare pity me."

Hermione could see why people feared him in this moment. His steel eyes were storming and his stature was emitting an aura of power that she hadn't felt from anyone else, but had felt running through her own veins at times. A stray thought that maybe he had the same problems she did crossed her mind. He was a storm that hadn't hit yet, and anyone in his path was hoping it didn't hit while they were under his stare. Yet Hermione wasn't one to back down, especially from him.

"You say it all so easily Malfoy. But remember that you call me a Mudblood and that implies things about my family and what we do. It's a double-edged sword ferret and if you think you can get away with it, then why not me? I said I pity you and I mean it because I can pity the cowardly."

Draco glared at the girl in front of him. Well, girl wasn't an accurate description anymore. She'd filled out and now was a force to be reckoned with. Her green eyes flashed in the darkened classroom, though they were flecked with the melted chocolate color he was used to, and her chin was raised in defiance that only he could bring out in her. Her power could be felt crackling around the room like electricity.

"I am no coward Granger."

"Prove it Malfoy."


	9. Prove It

Draco took three strides toward Hermione before pushing her up onto a desk. Her eyes screamed confusion before he roughly pressed his mouth to hers. She struggled for a second before it became just another battle she had to win against him. By the end of the kiss, both were breathless.

"What on EARTH was that?" Hermione asked, her voice breaking into a breathy whisper before the end of her question. Draco leaned his forehead against her own before putting his hands on her hips and helping Hermione off the desk. They'd been thrown together so many times within such a short period. Normally they wouldn't see each other for days, so the teasing and fighting were just blimps on their radars.

"I don't know and I don't really care. You're everything I can't have, don't want, and hate with a vengeance. Yet you're stuck in my head and under my skin Granger. You always have been. That's why I follow you, keep an eye trained on you, and refuse to leave you alone."

Hermione stared at the man holding her from under her lashes. He was the same Slytherin that drove her up the wall and kept her up at night with fury, yet she'd admit he had captured her attention too. In fact she'd already admitted it, to him nonetheless.

"What does this mean?"

"I don't know. And I don't think we should find out. We don't like each other for a reason Granger. We argue like banshees and can hardly contain our joy if something bad happens to the other. This is confusing as Hell and I think it should be avoided at all costs."

"So, we're infatuated with the person we hate?" Hermione couldn't see the logic in that. But since the war had started, little made sense anymore. She just went day to day hoping that what Harry and Dumbledore were working on came through.

"It would appear so… how about that. Makes no sense mind you, but things could be worse I suppose. It's not like the Dark Lord knows." With that comment, Draco flinched. Hermione, being as intimately close to him as she was at the moment, felt it go through her. Concern leaked onto her face.

"What's wrong?" Draco's head shot up and his eyes snapped open. He looked taken aback by her, which made Hermione roll her eyes.

"He's evil Malfoy. Even I don't want you to have to be in his presence more or less his personal… thing."

"Very eloquent Granger. But you said it yourself; I will serve him well just like my father before me. And you'd be right. I am forfeit in this war."

Hermione's eyes grew as she realized what he was saying. She refused to believe that even Malfoy's life was worthless, though her friends had other ideas. And to think that her comments had been true made her heart shudder for what the boy must have gone through to become the man he was now.

"No. You have a choice you can…"

Draco stepped away from her then, his eyes betraying an emotion Hermione couldn't identify. Both felt the loss of heat and knew that it was most likely never to happen again. They were the only ones that could bring out the most passionate sides of them, though that passion was mostly directed into dislike. And this was just a moment in their lives that couldn't affect the rest of it. Right?

"I don't. I never did. Don't you see that I was born to be this way and there's no hope in ever breaking ties? I'm already in too deep Granger. The things I've seen, what I have to do now. It's not right in any way to support the things that have happened. I know that. Do you think I was born without a moral code? But I don't have a choice."

Draco had become frantic and Hermione wished she could do something for him. But he had broken their connection and she didn't know if she could reach a comforting hand out to him.

"You're wrong. There are people who can help! If you just…" Draco barked out a bitter laugh that cut Hermione off, again.

"No. I'm alone and no one can help me now. It's my fate."

"Will you stop saying that! Fate is a cruel word to use because it means you have no control over your future. Which means you can't be blamed for anything you do! Well guess what, you can. And you will be if you don't stand up for yourself. What is so bad that you have no choice? You don't just give up Malfoy. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no! You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away!"

Hermione had tears in her eyes, though she didn't know why. Why was the fate of this man all of the sudden so important to her? Why did she care now? Draco was just as confused as to why her opinion mattered to him. Deep down, he wanted to believe her. Deep down, he didn't want the weight of killing Dumbledore on his shoulders. But that was his mission and no one could get him out of it.

"I can't Granger. I'm not brave enough when… I just can't. Remember that you have no idea what's going on. I am like my father and it'd be best for you to remember that. You hate me Hermione and it's in your best interest if it stays that way."

And with that, Draco turned smartly on his heels and left Hermione to wipe her chocolate eyes in silence as her heart beat with the sound of his fading footsteps.

* * *

AN: Hermione's speech at the end is partially from the BBC series Doctor Who, which I have no rights to. Thanks to helenluvsboo for making me realize that I didn't say where it came from in the previous version of this chapter! That could have been really bad. - Summer


	10. Ultimatum

The next couple days were miserable for Hermione. Every time she saw Draco, her heart throbbed just a little. Classes with him were impossible without going to the toilets to wrap her arms around her splitting chest. Her heart was broken for the fair-haired man and it literally felt like it was tearing her apart.

Her mind wasn't any better than her body. Each throb of her heart caused Hermione to ask more questions than she had the answers to. It also created horrific scenes of what could have happened to Malfoy for him to believe his life was worthless. Yet, even as these thoughts clouded her vision and her dreams, she still tried to find any solution to keep the man from her mind.

She had been so good at keeping it from her friends, but as the week wore on they began to realize that Hermione wasn't being herself. She would go to bed earlier, study by herself, and never once get on the boys cases about their homework. About the time they began to notice though, Ginny had already figured out what was wrong and taken to looking after another subject.

Being the best girl friend of Hermione's, she watched over her actions and reactions to see if maybe she could help from behind the scenes. What Ginny saw was the strong shield around her friend cracking. And all because of some boy who hated her.

Once realizing that Draco was the problem, Ginny began watching him. Harry and Ron were distracted with Hermione, trying to get her to help out with everything. And that everything was Ron's Quidditch and Harry's determination to figure out what Malfoy was up to when he disappeared for hours. Harry's approach, of course, didn't help Hermione in the slightest.

What Ginny was observing was not what Harry was. She was watching the way he looked day by day and the way he reacted to anything Hermione did. What she saw made her feel like she was spying on some private session.

Every time Hermione ran from class, his eyes would follow and he'd seem to want to follow. Malfoy watched her every move, and when she would have a moment when she thought no one was looking and let the heartbreak show through her eyes; Draco's eyes were just as in pain.

When he and Harry got into an argument in the hallways, they would still choose the same sides. Draco at the forefront of his group with Crabbe and Goyle at his sides, Harry in the front of his friends with Hermione and Ron at his shoulders and they would trade insults as always. Yet when it was done and they were walking away, Draco would hang his head, sigh, and walk off to do whatever mischief Harry accused him of doing.

At the end of the week, Hermione was in bad shape and Ginny had decided that she needed to tell her friend that she wasn't the only one suffering from whatever these feelings she was having were.

"Hermione! Can I come in? I need help with some stuff."

"Sure."

Ginny entered Hermione's room, an outfit in each hand. She was determined to help Hermione in one-way or another. She'd already let the boys know what was going on and how she was going to fix it. What she didn't expect was resistance.

"Which one 'Mione? I want to be cute on Christmas when Harry is at the Burrow."

"The left one."

That's when Ginny looked closer at the girl sitting on the bed. Hermione had deep, dark circles under her eyes as if she hadn't slept in a while and her normally glistening hair was dull and frizzy, like it was her first year. Hermione hadn't let it get that out of control since before the Yule Ball. Ginny sighed.

"You need to stop this."

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything." Ginny snorted and roller her eyes as she sat next to Hermione.

"This self-destruction honey. It isn't healthy. Please, just let it go. He even told you to! The boys are starting to notice and you don't look good. Please. He's not worth…" Hermione was standing before Ginny could finish.

"Don't say that! Don't ever say it! He is worth something and I'm willing to bet that he can't see that. Malfoy is in some sort of trouble that he can't get out of, but he's not worthless."

Ginny nodded, scared on why her friend was defending the ferret who'd made her life a living Hell all these years. Hermione wasn't irrational but this seemed insane to Ginny. Malfoy was a git who deserved what he got and for some reason Hermione had stopped seeing it that way.

"I don't understand 'Mione. He's greasy for lack of a better term. He isn't someone to put your trust in. Malfoy has got you all twisted up and not seeing straight. You can't possibly think that all that he's put you through wasn't his choice."

"I'm not saying that. But I can't believe that we know everything that is going on. Ginny, you didn't see him, hear the way his voice choked and scraped along his words, or the agony in his eyes. He's miserable and it's not right!"

"Why isn't it right? He's _Malfoy_! He's done unspeakable things, to you nonetheless! He deserves it!"

Hermione and Ginny stood facing each other, tears running down Hermione's face as confusion marred Ginny's. Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes before saying anything more.

"You can't understand Gin. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But I can't fight whatever I feel for him. I don't want to. It's something that I need to rectify. There has to be a way to help him."

"You're right, I don't understand. He's just a crush and yet you can't move past the fact that he was born to be evil. He's not going to suddenly change sides in this war. You're my friend and I love you 'Mione, but you need to make a choice. Are you going to help him and probably play into some bigger plot or are you going to stand with Harry and the rest of us?"

Hermione's eyes snapped open as her mouth dropped. Ginny couldn't be serious? Was there even a slight doubt which side she'd choose?

"I will always stand beside you on the battle field against Voldemort Ginny. I'm just not so sure about whether every person standing on the other side is as against us as we thought."

"You've decided. I was hoping to get it through your head that if you just stopped thinking about Malfoy you'd be able to move on. This isn't going to be easy or fun and you're definitely not going to like what I say next, yet you need to hear this. Draco Malfoy is the enemy and what he stands for is what you've fought against since your first year here. You can't ever think of Malfoy as a friend or you will be disappointed. I'm sorry honey."

Ginny left Hermione to her thoughts then, knowing that the boys were waiting for her downstairs. They were worried that Hermione would put up a fight because of her nature to not drop things, like SPEW. But when Ginny came down and said that it was all OK now, they breathed sighs of relief, though they had heard the yelling. They all opted to leave the suffering girl alone until tomorrow when they were leaving for the Burrow.

Up in her room, Hermione sank to the floor. Everyone truly believed that he couldn't be saved and they were willing to fight with her about it. Yet, her heart was telling her otherwise. He had tried to warn her about her parents at Hogsmeade, she could feel it. The only problem was that Ginny had given her an ultimatum.

If she reached a hand out to Malfoy, she was helping the enemy. If she stood against him, she was hurting herself. Standing and wiping her eyes, Hermione set off to find the only person who could calm her thoughts right now. The only person who could answer her final question before she shut out all emotion and stood beside Harry.

Hermione flew down the stairs determined to find Draco Malfoy.


	11. All of Me

Hermione avoided other students as she searched for Malfoy. Knowing that Ginny, Harry, and Ron were all wandering around didn't help to calm her nerves. If they were to catch her they would know that this was more than what she'd let on. Even Ginny hadn't gotten it right. Hermione was pretty sure that in between the fights and the insults, she'd fallen hard for Draco.

She tried to remember what Harry had been going on about this last week. Something about the Room of Requirement, that would be the right place to start her search. Glad she'd left her robes in her room, Hermione ran down the hallways with anxiety following in her wake. Several students crossing her path a few minutes after she'd left it could almost feel the knot in their own stomachs.

Reaching the appropriate hallway, Hermione stopped in the shadows to catch her breath. There was Goyle as a young girl holding the scale, waiting for anyone to approach. Hermione sat down behind a statue to wait. It wasn't long before Draco emerged and Goyle went off, probably to eat. Draco looked the hallway up and down, and while Hermione swore he saw her, he turned and went the opposite way of the Slytherin common room. Hermione followed, careful to keep quiet knowing he was much more sensitive to his surroundings than she was.

What surprised Hermione was that eventually they ended up at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Draco quietly slipped inside and even though the situation amused Hermione, it also made her extremely nervous. Why was he in the bathroom that led to the Chamber of Secrets and where no one ever went?

Hermione snuck up to the door to see if she could hear what was going on. What she heard made her heart stop because all she could hear was sobbing.

Opening the door and slipping inside herself, Hermione saw that the sobs were from the man she thought would never break like this. She was wrong. Draco stood over one of the sinks, hands clenching it so hard his knuckles were white, sobbing. At the sound of the door though, he whipped around wand at the ready.

There was a moment where they just stared at each other. Then Hermione was hurrying toward him as he dropped his wand. She threw her arms around him and Draco held her like his life depended on it.

"What are you doing here?" Draco whispered into her neck

"I came to talk to you. Shh, please don't cry. I'm here and nothing is going to happen."

Hermione pulled Draco down to the floor with her so she could hold him better. She smoothed out his hair and kept whispering words of comfort to the troubled man. Draco held her in his lap, carefully watching her as she offered something that he would never have again.

"You need to leave."

"What? Why?"

"You can't be here Granger. I told you to stay away from me."

"I don't care. You're upset and I'm here to offer anything you need."

Draco stood up, pulling a startled Hermione with him. He'd gone from upset to cold in a matter of seconds and it had thrown Hermione off. He pushed her away, toward the door.

"Go."

"No. Not until we talk."

"Why? Merlin Granger have you ever thought that I'm doing this for your best interest? I know perfectly well what would happen if we were seen together this way. I'm not stupid."

"That's what I came looking for you to talk about! Why are you looking out for me? I've sworn myself to my side as you have yours, yet both of us are willingly throwing it away every time we have even the thought of each other. Why? I don't know, but I know that tonight Ginny had me put my allegiance out in the open. I chose and now I want to know why I feel like I've just thrown something precious away."

Draco stood, unmoved externally by the chocolate eyes begging him for some response as she leaned slightly toward him. On the inside though, he was dying. She had been the only one to offer comfort and help. She'd been the only on there when he needed to sort things out in his head. It wasn't coincidence that every time he was truly upset, he found Granger to fight with.

Finally, when she straightened, he broke. She had looked so heart broken that he wasn't going to answer that he just couldn't break her any more. He had never wanted to.

"I look out for you because it's not fair. You're just this young witch with a future ahead of her and a good past behind her. Yet, your life has been marred and scraped at by the Dark Lord since you were young. I know all about Uncle Henry. He doesn't brag much anymore about how he's your uncle because he couldn't recruit you. Many times I've just wanted to haul off and hit him for being a git."

"As for how we're feeling, you've got me there Granger. Ever since our little rendezvous in the Houses' common room, I can't get what you said out of my brain. I can't take a stand though because you'd be the one at risk. Don't you see? I care a great deal for you, I don't know how it came about, and I'm determined to do anything to keep you safe now that I know what I feel."

"If that makes me a pawn of the darkest wizard of all time, so be it. If that makes me have to stand on the opposite side of the battle than you, so be it. And Merlin help me, but if that means I have to die fighting for the other side, I'll do it gladly. Because you'll be with your friends. You'll be safe when it's all over. That's all that matters to me. You're all I have Granger."

Hermione let a few tears roll down her cheeks as Draco spoke. She nodded her understanding before she opened her mouth to reply. They both realized this was the last time they could ever talk until this whole war was over. And neither was guaranteed to come out living on the other side of it. This was the last time they could be more than enemies, for after this they'd be less than strangers.

"I think if things were different, we would have worked out Malfoy. But we live with war looming over our heads and the threat of life or death around every corner. Makes living harder than it should be. I know how I feel and I wish I could show it without consequence. Instead, it would get both of us killed or worse. I can't explain how it happened either but we showed each other a different part of ourselves than the world knows. And maybe that's why we fell."

"It's not right and it's not fair that we stand with the final line between us. There's nothing we can do about that. But I want you to know, that if we face each other out there, I wouldn't be able to do it. I would take the hit from your wand just so mine would disappear into the night air. I may be wrong to put my heart on the line for someone so volatile and who I know can do me no good but my heart is out there. It's just I can't go with it and make it a complete deal. You have all that matters of me and I willingly send it with you, whether you are Voldemort's right hand man or just one in the crowd. You have all of me."

Draco's mouth dropped as Hermione moved toward him. She pressed a sweet kiss to his lips before turning and disappearing back into the hallway. Had she turned around, she would have seen Draco standing in the bathroom doorway, mouthing the last lines of what she said.

_You have all of me._


	12. Beginning of a War

Sides were chosen that night. Malfoy received the Dark Mark as Hermione started some research for Harry. They couldn't be friends and they were determined to keep the final line between them.

That didn't mean it still didn't hurt. That didn't mean they didn't think about each other in the darkest of night when terror over took Malfoy and he needed an angel, or when Hermione wanted someone who could make her heart stop aching.

Yet, every day they went on like they always did. When conflict arose, they would turn their backs on each other. Ginny was proud of Hermione for taking her words to heart, but she didn't know the whole story. Harry and Ron were thankful that Hermione had straightened out her head, but they couldn't imagine the ache that had replaced her heart.

Hermione hadn't said anything more about Malfoy after that night. With the war drawing closer and the idea that maybe they were in over their heads starting to show, the Golden Trio came together and buckled down. They were all they had now.

School seemed pointless when such terror was happening outside of it. Students didn't come back from Christmas. The general population of Hogwarts that was still in school was suspicious of anyone in green and silver or all black. Hermione wanted to run away from it all but knew it wouldn't help. They'd just send Henry after her most likely. Also, Harry needed help.

At the end of the year, Hermione finally understood what load the Dark Lord had dumped on Draco. As the Dark Mark glowed brightly over the tallest towers of Hogwarts, Hermione was running down the main hallway of the school, fighting for her life.

"Hermione!"

"Ron! Where's Harry?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since this afternoon. We need to get out of here."

Ron grabbed her hand and bolted down the staircase in front of the Great Hall. They ran outside, shooting spells behind them hoping that the Boy Who Lived had just not been spotted yet.

The two hid behind some of the statues in the gardens, Ron covering Hermione as she created powerful spells to send at the approaching Death Eaters. She had just thrown a shockwave at the group when someone hit her at a full run. Hermione and whoever had hit her were thrown farther in the gardens.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled.

"Keep them back Ron! I'm fine."

"Miss Granger of all the times to be in the way," an oily voice degraded her.

"Professor Snape."

Hermione was surprised. She hadn't expected to see him running away from Hogwarts. She was also aware that he was not the one that had run into her. Looking around at the one who had hit her, she came face to face with Malfoy. She blinked at him in confusion. As he opened his mouth to say something, Snape pulled him up forcefully and pulled him along. Malfoy looked back at Hermione, made eye contact, and then turned and fled after his godfather.

Hermione stood, confusion still evident on her face as she turned, quickly returning to Ron and the fight. Soon, the crowd of Death Eaters was being picked off from their other side. It turned out to be the friend that Hermione and Ron had been longing to see.

"Hermione! Ron!"

"Harry!"

"Have you seen Snape and Malfoy?"

Ron nodded his head at Hermione as she explained what had happened. She didn't know why they were running and was counting on Harry to say that it was for their lives as Death Eaters chased them.

"Snape killed Dumbledore."

Realization hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. They hadn't been running from the Death Eaters, they were running to the Dark Lord. The mission Draco had been given, the fact that he found it disgusting, and the knowledge of why he couldn't get out of it came crashing down around the horrified woman.

"No…" Hermione whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

Harry nodded before putting a hand on Ron's shoulder. He was in shock a state of shock. All three turned as they heard a cry of agony, though. They raced to the source only to find Hagrid over the broken body of Dumbledore. Hermione turned and wept into Ron's chest as Harry's face clouded. Professor McGonagall came out of the crowd only to be stopped by Harry.

"It was Snape. He killed Dumbledore."

That was how the war started. It had taken hours for Fawkes to finally end his mournful song and for everyone on the grounds to completely realize what had happened. After Dumbledore's funeral, the Golden Trio set out to finish what he and Harry had started. Nothing could prepare them for what was to come though they were determined to be.

Hermione sent word to the Order of the Phoenix to erase her mum and dad's memories and replace them with a life that had no daughter. She then sent them to Australia so they could be safer than they could ever be with the knowledge they held. It was better that way.

Ron and his family tried to stay together no matter what. Even though Ron was off with Harry and Hermione and Ginny was being devious at Hogwarts, they tried to stay in contact. It was hard and a very long process but it worked from time to time.

Harry spent his last time at the Dursley's. His aunt understood and acted on what Harry warned them about. They moved as soon as Harry was out. Even if Harry hated them, he didn't want them dead because of him.

It was the start of a hard trip that would leave the Golden Trio's friendship stronger than ever before. It was also the time that Hermione most often thought of a blonde man who had stolen her heart before the war. She wished she could just get Malfoy out of her head but he would never leave. She often wondered if Harry and Ron suspected something, especially Ron. He wanted their friendship to be more and as the war went on, it did grow. Just not in the direction he wanted.

The Golden Trio was soon nearing the end of their journey. They had destroyed almost all the Horocruxes, missing only one from Ravenclaw and that python that was Voldemorts' constant companion. Unfortunately, so near the end was when they were caught by Death Eaters and taken to the Malfoy's home, the impromptu headquarters for the Dark Lord.


	13. Caught

"We have them."

Hermione, Harry and Ron were thrust into the sitting room, stumbling before the group seated within. The boys immediately grabbed Hermione and put her between them, giving her the opportunity to look around as they argued with their captors.

The room was all dark wood, the only light coming from the fireplace that cast dancing shadows on the walls. There was only a small group of people in the room and Hermione could identify almost all of them. They all had sharp features, their pales faces gleaming in the ghoulish light.

There was a group of dark figures, hoods pulled up to obscure their faces, on either side of the fireplace. Three stood before the trio that had been hauled in though. The two in the back were the easiest to recognize, though Hermione had only met one of them before.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy stood frozen at the sight of the trio. Lucius looked on with empty eyes, almost bored, as Narcissa seemed to be struggling internally as the sight of them. Hermione wondered what was going on inside her head and only hoped she wasn't deciding how to attack them.

The woman standing in front of the Malfoy's, which Harry made sure was directly in front of him, was Bellatrix Lestrange. Her hair was slicked down and her dress was mended, giving her the appearance of an actual Pureblood lady verse when she'd escaped Azkaban. Her eyes gave her away though as they shone with insanity, flashing from Harry to Ron and finally resting on Hermione.

"Well, well, what have we here? A Mudblood with in the Malfoy's great home?"

Hermione clenched her teeth and held her head high. There was no reason to be afraid of this woman, mad though she may be. Hermione had been in worse situations, often inside the walls of Hogwarts. She had used magic beyond her years more times than she'd care to count with in this past year. No Death Eater was going to scare her.

"Leave her alone Bella."

The entire room stalled. One of the cloaked figures from around the fireplace came forward and moved just off of Bellatrix's shoulder. He removed his hood, causing Hermione to gasp and take a step back. A crooked smile crossed the man's features, making Hermione cringe.

"Hello my dear, dear niece."

Harry and Ron glanced at Hermione. She appeared sick, disgusted with the fact that this man was still alive. The boys knew who this man probably was, they had heard the stories, but they needed Hermione to confirm it.

"Hello Henry."

"Oh, no more uncle then? Still, good of you to remember me."

Hermione gagged at the slick tone of his voice. He was just a murderer, being the most likely source of how her aunt died. This was not the way she wanted to find out he still roamed free and this was definitely not the place.

"Let me take care of her Bella. No need for harsh words with this one. Just… rabbits out of a hat perhaps?"

Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. She may have been devoid a wand but so help her if he was going to bring up something that always intrigued her and her aunt when she was young. Harry and Ron had to restrain her as she lunged for the man she used to call uncle.

"You mongrel! You slimy git! I hate what you stand for! You are the vilest creature of the swamp. You deserve what is to come!"

Though Bellatrix laughed at the threat, as did the rest of the Death Eaters in the room, Henry kept a cool gaze on her. He knew what she could do when riled up.

"Quiet! The girl is more powerful than you can imagine. Do not provoke her." Bellatrix looked at the man at her side. Baring her teeth in a sneer, she rolled her eyes.

"Still on about that. This Mudblood is no more powerful than the young one we have in the dungeons. You should learn your place Raft."

Hermione saw from the corner of her eye the shudder that went through Narcissa behind her sister. It was as if she was in physical pain. Lucius just glanced at her, no emotions ever evident on his face or in his eyes. It was as if he was dead on the inside. Hermione stopped struggling with her friends, realizing what was going on just a little better.

The Malfoy's were under the Imperius Curse, Lucius more so than Narcissa. Lucius was completely gone of anything that made him himself. His eyes being void the clearest evidence that he'd been under the spell for quiet a long time. Hermione wondered how long was long. Narcissa appeared to be trying to fight it, for what purposes Hermione didn't know. Bellatrix and Henry continued to argue as Hermione watched the Malfoy's.

"All right! Fine Raft, take the girl, I don't care."

Harry and Ron moved to intercept him but Henry cast a spell that sent both of them stumbling backward away from Hermione. She stood ready to fight off the Imperius but instead found herself being dragged out of the room as Harry and Ron rushed after her.

The door slammed shut behind her and Henry, two very angry boys on the wrong side of it.

"What are you going to do with them? Where are you taking me?"

Henry stopped and whipped Hermione around so she was facing him.

"Be quiet if you know what's best for you. Your life isn't as precious to our side as it used to be. The boy failed to show any power that you showed in abundance when you were younger. They have little faith in you showing any results as well."

"I don't understand? What have you done to this kid? Have you hurt him?"

"That is none of your business my dear. As for you, you are to be questioned. Come along now, no need to wait for our Master for this little interrogation."

With that, Henry pulled Hermione through a thick, wooden door and into a small study.


	14. Taken Away

After the first couple minutes of circling Hermione, who was tied to one of the armchairs, and coming up with no evidence of extreme power, Henry was becoming frustrated. He knew that she was powerful and that it showed when she was upset; he just didn't know how to get her to that point.

"Filthy little Mudblood. You and your kind deserve to be dead. Smartest witch of her time I'm so very sure. You can perform magic on cue is that it? Is that how you earned that title? By acting like a little prancing pony doing tricks for its masters."

Hermione kept her head down and her breathing even. She knew what he was trying to do. If she lost control like she had so long ago, even for a second, she'd be the prime choice to bring before the Dark Lord as a possible servant. She would rather die on the battlefield than be the plaything of that thing.

"Break girl! It's the only thing that will save you unlike that Malfoy boy!"

Hermione's head snapped up, her breath held tight in her chest. Henry raised an eyebrow at her before placing a hand over each of hers on the arms of the chair and leaning in.

"So, you know Draco? I never thought of that. Of course, you went to school together. How was he my little Mudblood niece? Was he very good to you there?"

Hermione let all her air out through her nose as she stared the man before her down. Henry's smile became wicked as he leaned away and walked away from his tied up charge. As his back was to her, Hermione tried to calm herself down again. She'd given something away that could land her and Draco into some major hurt.

"What have you done with that despicable boy?"

Henry faced her in astonishment. She hadn't said anything since the hallway. His manic grin turned into a frown at her words though.

"So, you two didn't get along. Well, then you should be happy to know that he has received… justice… of sorts. His father took care of him for us after he failed his mission. I assume you know all about that."

Hermione nodded her head curtly, determined to stay strong though she was tempted to let the fire racing through her veins out. She wanted her true power to show through so she could save the three most important people in her life, all three of which were currently in the dungeons.

"What happened?"

Henry sighed. This would get him nowhere.

"He had to be punished for his failure. At the present time, he is in the dungeons waiting for the Dark Lord to release him. If he can prove himself he might be able to save what is… left… of his family."

Had Hermione been alone with this information, she would have broken down and sobbed at the injustice that had befallen the man who had teased her all throughout her Hogwarts years. This was why he couldn't get away from his heritage, no matter his want to or not. They had his family under their complete control, a flick of the wrist and they were completely different people.

Draco was fighting for his family. He was fighting for their freedom. Hermione could tell he'd already lost his father, though if Draco knew that she didn't know. His mother seemed to be trying to break the curse. Maybe she was where he found his strength to do everything he had done. This was all he had left and they were trying to use him to get at a power he didn't have.

But she wasn't alone so she kept her expression plain. No matter how unfair it was, she couldn't show that she cared. She didn't have to hold it for very long. Outside the door, there was a large bang before the doors opened to reveal Mrs. Malfoy.

"The girl needs to be taken downstairs. Her friends have escaped and they are most likely looking for her."

Henry nodded before freeing Hermione from her chair. Right then Hermione had a choice. She could scream and have Harry and Ron find her quickly. Or she could be taken down to the dungeons and see Draco. Before she'd made up her mind, Henry hit her with a silence curse.

"Can't have you attracting them can we now."

Hermione opened her mouth just to snap it close again. Henry dragged her out of the room, Narcissa following closely. Once they got to the dungeon, Narcissa opened a door only to have Henry shake his head.

"Put her in here. He'll get her more riled up than we can. They knew each other in school and it would appear they didn't exactly care for one another."

With that, Hermione was thrown into a small room, the door clanking shut behind her. Two pairs of footsteps could be heard fleeing on the other side. Hermione stood from where she'd fallen, brushing herself off before looking around. There was a small table, as well as a low cot. On the cot sat a man who's eyes Hermione could never forget.

"Draco."

"Granger?"


	15. He's Safe

"What are you doing here? How are you even anywhere near here?"

Draco questioned Hermione from his cot as she analyzed him. He was skinnier than before, his face sunken, making his sharp feature that much more striking. Many bruises and cuts adorned his arms and hands, the rest of him also most likely but he was wearing a T-shirt and black pants so Hermione couldn't see anymore.

"We were captured. But Harry and Ron are running around out there looking for me. We can get you out too. I'm sure they have wands by now."

Draco, though clearly weakened by the time in his own dungeons, stood. He emitted a strong presence even though it clearly wasn't as powerful as before.

"No. I'm not leaving. You are, and you're going to go as far from this place as possible."

"Yes. And you're coming with me."

"No Granger. My family is here as is my place."

Hermione knew that. She knew that she would never be able to talk him into going anywhere with so much resting on his staying. She nodded her consent before rushing forward as Draco swayed. She helped him sit before kneeling in front of him.

"How long have you been down here? What have they done to you?"

Draco's hair was dirty and matted, his clothes torn in places, and eyes dull.

"A couple weeks. Bellatrix put me down here at the Dark Lord's orders. He had used Legilimency on me to see what had happened on that tower with Dumbledore after becoming suspicious of Snape's allegiance. He felt how strong feelings for you were that I was holding back. He couldn't tie them to you but I knew that's where they were from. It was worrisome to him that I had ties to another that wasn't identifiable. They've been trying to get it out of me ever since."

"Oh Draco. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. I fell the same way you did. But I hope your not disappointed that I have the Dark Mark. It just came along with the side."

Hermione smiled tightly. Of course she had a problem with it, though not for the reason he was thinking of. She hated it because it stood for everything she could never accept as long as the war was going on. And because it was his scar to bear, she could not accept him as of now.

Draco reached out and ran a hand over her hair. He had dreamed about her many nights as an angel saving him, hoping that she was safe and thanking the stars whenever there was a report of how her and her friends had escaped again.

The Dark Lord could pick up on these feelings of course, which is why Draco was now locked up. No one else knew why except for Draco and Voldemort, though it was his father that used the Crucio Curse on him. He was also glad to see that her eyes were their natural color. If they couldn't get her to break, then maybe there was hope that in the final battle she would destroy them all and he would have kept her safe.

"You know that your father is completely under the curse don't you? And your mother is falling fast."

Draco nodded. "You realized they were cursed did you. I'm not surprised. I don't really care if my father comes out of this the same man. It would be better if he didn't in fact. He was the one that I copied when I needed to show how much the Malfoy name stood for fear. I haven't seen him lately but I could have guessed he was gone. As for my mother, she is the one I stay for. She taught me how to live under the eye of Voldemort and not be the perfect pet. Unfortunately, she has also become a pawn."

Hermione nodded, her eyes dry though she felt like crying. Draco let his head fall so that his hair covered his eyes. He looked so dejected that Hermione couldn't help but let some emotion through. She gently raised his chin and gave him a passionate kiss right before the door to their cell was thrown open.

"Draco! Merlin save us but those boys are fighting hard to get down here. And our Master is on his way. Your father is so caught up in fighting that I was able to break free just for a moment… What were you two just doing?"

Narcissa stopped when she saw the current situation her son was in. Hermione didn't know what to do. It was like she'd been caught by her Mum playing spin the bottle on her thirteenth birthday. A warm pink dusted her cheeks. Draco, instead of being embarrassed, placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her just a bit toward his mother.

"This is Hermione Granger, Mum. This was the girl I was telling you about a year ago, the one who offered to help me. I can see it, that you're not under the spell now. Please, help her. Get her out of here. I love her."

Narcissa rushed forward when Draco was done speaking, threw a kiss on top of his head and grabbed Hermione's hands pulling her up and into a hug. Hermione was in shock; she never thought that Draco would ever name what had risen up between them. She awkwardly patted Mrs. Malfoy's back.

"Thank you. You saved him, whether you think you did or not. I'm fading and I can't keep myself in my own head much longer. But my boy is safe thanks to you. He can control his powers now. Come, there isn't much time for either of us."

Narcissa took Hermione by the hand and pulled her along after letting her go. Hermione looked back once, only to see Draco pulling the door closed behind them. She didn't know if she'd ever see him again. At the bottom of the stairs, Narcissa stopped and turned to Hermione. She gave the girl her rightful wand and removed something from her neck before clasping it in between her and Hermione's hands.

"I cannot protect you out there. You are more of a witch than I ever could wish to be. But I can give you this. It is enchanted with a protection spell; Draco gave it to me on his tenth birthday. It was the result of one of his magic outbursts. Please take it. It's a shield of some sort against the worst of curses. Thank you again young one and remember that the next time you see me I won't be the same. Now go!"

Hermione nodded and bolted up the stairs, wand at the ready. Across the room, Harry and Ron had just broken through the doorway, Henry stumbling backward in front of them. When he saw Hermione, he stopped and stared in confusion. Hermione's eyes flashed as she raised her wand but he got to the fireplace before she could cast anything.

Charging forward with her friends, who now were accompanied by Dobby, Hermione skidded through the manor and out the front doors as hexes and curses hit almost everything in their wake. Dobby teleported the trio away to safety as they neared the gates of the Malfoy home.


	16. One Final Act

Hermione sat on the guest bed turning the necklace over in her hands. Bill and Fleur had been gracious enough to take them in after their rushed exit from their captures. No one was quite sure how Dobby had known, but they weren't up to asking him questions at the moment. Bellatrix had been able to hit the poor elf with her silver blade before they'd gotten out and his arm was currently in a sling because of it.

Hermione sighed as she leaned back and hung the necklace over her head. She'd been analyzing it for a majority of the night because she'd been shunned from the discussion going on in the living room.

Shun may be a strong word. They all were worried about her because she'd been the one to get taken out of the room, so they'd sent her off to bed. Thoughts filled her mind though, so Hermione knew sleep would be far off. No one had noticed the small trinket that she now held.

It was a small silver disk that seemed to shimmer in the light as if it was twinkling. What had caught her attention was that the disk displayed a scene when looked at closer. What was currently playing across it was a manor with a dark dragon on the front lawn protecting the house. But it limped and was hunched over in front of the door, as if it had been recently defeated. The dragon seemed to be wounded, or at least that's how it appeared to Hermione.

She had yet to put the necklace on.

Without thinking, she drew it into her fist and put that fist over her heart as she closed her eyes to let the memory of Draco's eyes fill her mind. Hermione mouthed the goodbye she didn't get to say as their story played out behind her closed lids. She didn't see the green light slither around her hand but she could feel the small disk heat in her hand.

Throwing herself up from where she'd been lying, Hermione quickly checked the disk. She had been right; the image had changed. It still had the dragon only not it was now protectively behind a young lioness with a blazing mane of fire. The dragon's wings were halfway open and seemed to curl around the female in front of it.

Hermione wished she knew what the image stood for or how it connected to Draco. She'd already figured out that he was like her in that Draco also had power surges only he'd been taught how to use them from a young age. She had been taught how to control them.

He was controlled and icy where she was explosive and fiery.

Hermione looked at the disk again, only to realize that the image was melding into another. This time the dragon slept curled around the lioness, protecting her in her slumber. Yet the dragon looked peaceful and content where in the very first image it looked defeated and tired.

That's when the dragon lifted its head and seemed to stare out of the disk. Hermione dropped the necklace like it had burned her for the dragon that she had been trying to explain had the same eyes that the boy who created the necklace did.

It was as if a breaker had been thrown in Hermione's thoughts. They followed a track that had been laid out the entire time; she just had to get the cart moving first.

Draco had created the necklace to protect the wearer of it. The person before her to be owner to it was Narcissa Malfoy, the only reason Draco ever went home. She had named him Draco, which could be translated to 'dragon'. And in that very first image, there was a dragon outside a manor protecting it but having failed. Draco was trying to protect his family, yet had not succeeded in breaking their ties to Voldemort.

The second image was of Draco protecting a young lion with its teeth bared. That lion was what Draco thought of her. Hermione was someone who could take care of herself, her teeth bared against anyone who dare oppose her. Yet, he protected her, always hovering and waiting to jump in.

The final image was what they could be and what they were to each other. They were at ease with one another. They could be what they wanted and not worry. Together they were peaceful because their power cancelled the other's out.

Hermione bent over and picked up the fallen necklace. It was back to the second image as she clasped it around her neck. She knew that wherever he was, Draco would know that she now wore his gift. She had a feeling that with the object created by his power so close to her own power, they would interact and affect the other person.

She could almost see his surprise as a maroon light entwined around his wrist a thin leather band with a roaring lion on it. Hermione could almost feel him sitting in that cell, smiling because he knew she'd be just a little safer. After all, that's why he hadn't said anything about them while at Hogwarts. And that's why only his mother knew he had even fallen in love. Putting a hand over where the necklace laid, Hermione set her jaw.

This was his greatest gift to her. They would fight on opposite sides of this war and most likely one would not walk away from it. This was their connection and couldn't be spoken of. This was his final act of defiance.

Hermione crawled up to the top of the bed, adjusting to find a comfortable position. They kept saying that this time was the final time they would see each other in a friendly manner, yet they were always wrong. That had not been said this time. This time was different. Lying on her side, Hermione felt in her heart that even if they did see each other again they would not be able to be on such terms.

She closed her eyes and let sleep take her, knowing that this was the final testament they would have. The world must never know of the love between the Mudblood and a Malfoy.

The Dragon was tied to his fate with silver chains that he could not break. The Lioness had bound herself to her fate with locks of gold that she would not break. They were now both truly alone. These ties were the wall between them and anything they could have been. This was the end of what they had. This was the end of them.


End file.
